In last year’s Western Conference Finals, a gritty Phoenix Suns team pushed the Lakers to six games before ultimately falling to a vintage Kobe Bryant performance in the clincher.

Yet coming into 2010-11, questions abound in Phoenix after the departure of All-Star Amare Stoudemire, who left the Valley of the Sun as a free agent and signed a max contract with the New York Knicks. Also gone is backup big man Louis Amundson (Golden State), though starters Steve Nash, Grant Hill, Robin Lopez and Jason Richardson are back.